JOHOR BARU: Johor recorded a worrying spike with 1,755 dengue cases recorded state-wide, compared with the 737 cases in same period in 2023.
State Health and Unity Committee chairman Ling Tian Soon said the dengue situation in its fifth epidemiological week this year marked a 138 per cent increase compared with last year.
Efforts to control dengue breeding sites are ongoing intensively, with some 45 new outbreak localities identified in the past week.
Out of the reported cases, 651 (37.1 per cent) originated from outbreak areas, while 1,104 (62.9 per cent) were from non-outbreak localities.
Johor Baru reported the highest number of dengue cases within the districts with 1,352 cases, follows by Kulai with 187 cases, Kluang (46), Kota Tinggi (38), Muar (34), Batu Pahat (36), Segamat (33), Tangkak (14), Pontian (11), and four cases in Mersing.
Ling said 235 compounds amounting to RM104,400 were issued after dengue breeding sites were found in residents' houses.
He advised members of the public to conduct regular cleaning activities to eliminate potential mosquito breeding grounds, and school administrators were told to organise periodic clean-up activities.
In another development, the cumulative Covid-19 cases in Johor has reached 412,305, of which 409,180 are local infections and 3,125 are imported cases, as of Feb 3.
There are currently six active Covid-19 cases with patients warded in hospitals state-wide with one in the intensive care unit.
Based on the 5/2024 Epidemiological Week, the daily average Covid-19 cases is 1.20 per 100,000 population.
The trend in the state has recorded a sudden increase since the 51/2023 epidemiological week, mirroring the trends observed globally and in neighbouring countries.
However, there has been a decline in cases over the past few weeks.
Johor Baru recorded the highest number of Covid-19 cases in the 5/2024 epidemiological week, with 99 cases, followed by 52 in Batu Pahat and 47 in Kulai.
The other districts are Kluang had 23 cases, Kota Tinggi (21), Mersing (3), Muar (33), Pontian (26), Segamat (22) and 17 cases in Tangkak.